Monday, April 11, 2011

Meditative Interlude

To one who has been long in city pent,
'Tis very sweet to look into the fair
And open face of heaven, to breathe a prayer
Full in the smile of the blue firmament.
~ John Keats ~

Every now and then, it is good for both ones physical and mental well-being to escape from the everyday activity of life and to immerse oneself in the heart and soul of the natural world. To be absolutely at peace, surrounded by mountains, sky and water and not think about any of the many things one focuses on during the course of a normal day. These pauses or interludes break the pace and allow one to breathe more deeply and consciously and to reconnect with ones source or essence.

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A well-placed interlude relieves the tedium and monotony of life and reminds one of ones place in the greater scheme of life. Little troubles and niggles assume insignificance. Greater ones are relegated to the recesses of ones mind for a short while, allowing a reprieve from worry and concern. Sit a while and allow your mind to rest as you breathe slowly and deeply, in and out...

How glorious a greeting the sun gives the mountains! ~ John Muir ~

As you sit on the hillside, or lie prone under the trees of the forest, or sprawl wet-legged by a mountain stream, the great door, that does not look like a door, opens. ~ Stephen Graham ~

Whenever the pressure of our complex city life thins my blood and benumbs my brain, I seek relief in the trail. ~ Hamlin Garland ~

Smile, breathe and go slowly. ~ Thich Nhat Hanh ~

Man's heart away from nature becomes hard. ~ Standing Bear ~

These images were all taken today, at Wemmershoek Dam in the Drakenstein Mountains of the Western Cape. We will soon be entering our rainy season and the dam,now half full will gradually start filling up.

The vegetation, dry and parched after the long dry summer months will turn into a lush green wonderland, seemingly overnight and as Spring approaches, the fynbos will explode into vibrant colour. We are entering one of the most beautiful times of year in the Western Cape. It will be cold, as this is our winter time, but we will enjoy many glorious crisp days with clear blue skies and perfect lighting.

Mannnnnnn, when will the scientists invent that teleportation machine so I can whisk myself away into that beautiful place?.......

Great comments......thanks.....

Toby....don't know when I will post about him again...an upcoming post will explain how my life has been changed when my 32 year old granddaughter moved in with Dad and me last Thursday. (CLUE: she is not alone).kt

Amazing photos as always, Desiree! I love the quotations on today's post. The family are out visiting the other grandma, so I'm taking this opportunity to catch up on my friends' blogs! It must be lovely for you to know that you have one of the most beautiful times of the year coming up. I expect we shall see lots of phots!

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;Conspiring with him how to load and blessWith fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shellsWith a sweet kernel; to set budding more,And still more, later flowers for the bees,Until they think warm days will never cease,For Summer has o'er-brimm'd their clammy cells.

Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may findThee sitting careless on a granary floor,Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;Or on a half-reap'd furrow sound asleep,Drows'd with the fume of poppies, while thy hookSpares the next swath and all its twined flowers:And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keepSteady thy laden head across a brook;Or by a cyder-press, with patient look,Thou watchest the last oozings hours by hours.

Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,--While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day,And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mournAmong the river sallows, borne aloftOr sinking as the light wind lives or dies;And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble softThe red-breast whistles from a garden-croft;And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.

You must live in some beautiful area because each post seems to outdo the previous fabulous post! I feel so dull saying the same thing, but, your photos are beautiful!!! (I also feel a bit uncultured because I'm a stranger to most of the poets you quote.)

Hi Desiree! It's been a bit since I've visited and I'm so sorry that I took so long! Your pics are breathtaking and also so true. Nature can take us away from our troubles, clear our thoughts and renew us. Thanks for the lovely trip!

Your photo's are reminding others of poems and writings they have read and I think that is wonderful. I am dancing up and down waiting for your SPRINGTIME. It has to be amazing! The only thing I know of Africa is what I have seen in movies and read...and having you show these photo's that are NOW are....ok..I'll say it! Thrilling! Yes, they are also moving because they are of a place I only see in my mind. *sigh*

AAaaaaaahhhh...thanks for the relaxing interlude...beautiful scenery...quotes and words to ponder on...(i just happened to have meditative music playing in the background from http://www.newearthrecords.com/index.asp. perfect early morning combo!!)

In such a lovely place, you live! The mountains are absolutely magestic. How could one not feel tiny in their presense?

Lovely photos and quotes. I'm so glad you had this little interlude. It seems you are like me and love all the seasons. We are in the first warm days of spring here and it's hard not to smile at the sunshine and blue skies today. We'll have a lot of rain as it's springtime, but also we have daffodils and lilies coming up, tulips in full bloom, and all the trees are budded and ready to explode into life.

I'm glad to get to experience two times a year at once, through your blog... and also the mountains since it is very flat here in the midwestern US.